Ukrainian drones cripple Russian fuel infrastructure

Special forces of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) have already damaged more than 30 Russian refineries and fuel warehouses, and their drones easily reach targets in Russia, even at distances of up to 1,500 kilometres – stated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday.

"You are one of the best combat units of our state. The results of your actions have positively impacted all the strategic battles of this war," he said during a ceremony marking the 30th anniversary of creating the Special Operations Center "A" of the SBU.

The head of state noted that Ukrainians should be aware of the Center's contribution to the destruction of Russia's economic potential. "Ukrainians should know and be grateful for the 'minimization' of Russia's economic potential, which works in favour of the war and for strikes on Russian oil industry facilities. So far, more than 30 refineries, terminals, and fuel depots of the terrorist state have been damaged," he emphasized.

For SBU drones, distances of 1,500 kilometres are no longer an issue, added Zelensky.

Ukrainian troops and special services regularly carry out advanced operations on Russian territory using unmanned aerial vehicles. Military, industrial, and technological targets are attacked, including in regions significantly distant from Ukraine's borders, such as Tatarstan and the Leningrad region.

In recent months, there have been widespread strikes on Russian refineries. Reuters estimated that the processing capacity of these facilities in Russia, decommissioned in the first quarter of 2024 as a result of drone raids, was about 5.1 million tonnes of crude oil (an average of 370,500 barrels per day), equivalent to about 7% of the total processing capacity of all refineries in the country.